


There's Magic in your Fingertips

by chiako_kun



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Boys Being Boys, Gen, Magic-Users, someone give Mihashi a hug, they're all so precious but also so dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 17:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10518774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiako_kun/pseuds/chiako_kun
Summary: Mihashi Ren doesn't do magic anymore. At least that's what he believes until a strange woman sees him talking to an elemental spirit one day and immediately recruits him into her magic school.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kiwiaste](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiwiaste/gifts).



> Hello darling IHX fic receipient! I hope you have a fun time reading this despite the fact that it's pretty far off the beaten path of what you requested. But! I also had a ton of fun planning and writing this story, and in theory there's a lot more to write still jumbled up in my head that may or may not get added onto this in the future (I guess you can keep a skeptical eye out for that, but one day I'd like this to end in an OT4/mutual love square where each of my precious children gets all the love they deserve). 
> 
> This was saved in my google drive the majority of the time as "really cute Oofuri mage AU thing" so uh. the title is a last minute addition that may or may not change later (spoilers: probably not).
> 
> Enjoy!

Mihashi Ren was minding his own business, trying to convince an earth elemental to move it’s new home a little farther from the community playground, when somebody grabbed his shoulder and heaved him to his feet. 

He was quickly spun around and had a woman’s face shoved far too close to his own before he had any time to react. Mihashi tried his best to pull away but she had both of his shoulders in a vice grip that he was not physically strong enough to escape. 

“Are you a summoner?” she asked, eyes shining as she continued to inch her face closer to Mihashi’s. 

Mihashi’s eyes widened as he struggled harder to pull away, answering her question only with a quiet wail. 

“I saw you talking with that elemental just now. We need somebody like you--come with me!” 

Mihashi wasn’t fast enough to escape during the split second she let go of his shoulders and transferred her grip to his wrist instead. He scrabbled with his free hand to remove her fingers but once again he learned that his physical strength was nothing compared to hers. 

Then she began to run and Mihashi had no choice but to stumble after her as she dragged him, trying his best not to trip. He was absolutely, one hundred percent sure that she wouldn’t stop even if he did. 

It wasn’t too long before she slowed before a building and threw the door open, swinging him around so he stumbled inside before her. 

“I found another one!” she announced proudly as she slammed the door shut behind them. She pushed him along a few steps before continuing past him a little farther.

“So you!” she turned suddenly and pointed at him, her twin braids spinning dramatically around her. “What’s your name?” 

“Ah-uh...i-it’s Mihashi?” He hated how it came out more of a question than a statement and how he stumbled to form even a two word sentence. 

The woman didn’t seem to notice or care, her smile just growing wider. “So Mihashi, you’re a summoner, right? And it looks like you have at least a little experience.” 

“Y-yes?”

The woman giggled, wrapping her arms around herself and then jumping up and down a few times. “I knew it! I could tell something good was going to happen today and then I found you! You’re exactly the kind of summoner our team needs!” 

She suddenly reached out and grabbed Mihashi’s hand, shaking it vigorously. “I’m Momoe Maria and my partner Shiga isn’t here right now but you should be able to meet him soon enough. Over there is Abe and Tajima and Hanai, they’re our students. And with you Mihashi we’ll have a fourth person and be able to make two teams so we can enter you in the Games this fall!” 

“Uh. Ah.” Mihashi attempted to extract his hand from Momoe’s powerful grasp only to have her tighten her grip instead. “I...I’m not really...I don’t do...magic...anymore…” 

“...huh?” Momoe finally let go of his hand, and Mihashi retreated a few steps away so that she wouldn’t be able to easily grab him again. 

“I...I was on a team...there was a team at...my...middle school. I was on it but...I wasn’t very good…” Mihashi took a step back and wrapped his arms around himself. He stared hard at the ground, willing himself not to start crying even though he could feel his eyes getting watery. “We...lost almost everything...and...it was probably...my fault…” He glanced up only to find that everyone was staring at him, and he quickly looked down again. “S-so I...don’t want to do this...sorry…” He sniffled loudly and quickly reached up to try and wipe his nose with the sleeve of his shirt before it started dripping. 

“Hey.” Mihashi’s head snapped up. He wasn’t sure which of the boys had just spoken to him and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. One of the ones with short black hair stepped up to stand beside Momoe, an annoyed expression on his face. “You said your name was Mihashi, right? So Mihashi, tell me what you mean by it being “your fault”.” 

“Uh...uh...uh…” Mihashi took a few more steps back and started sinking to the ground under the boy’s stare. “I...I wouldn’t give up the...lead summoner spot. No matter h-how badly we did...a-a-and no matter how much...how much everyone wanted...Kanou instead of me…” 

“Ugh. That’s so stupid!” The boy was suddenly in front of Mihashi, leaning down to look him in the eyes. “Everyone knows that if a team isn’t working it’s not just one person’s fault. If you were good enough to be first summoner on that team they should have found a better mage to partner with you.” 

“But--but--” Mihashi blinked his eyes and suddenly he felt the tears he had been holding back start spilling down his cheeks. “I only g-got the spot b-b-because my g-grandpa owned the p-practice facilityyyyyyy!” 

“Now now, I’m sure that’s not really true…” Momoe interjected as the boy flinched back away from Mihashi. 

“Well, I hate to be the one to interrupt this _heartfelt_ introduction but--” one of the other boys, this one with a shaved head, walked to stand next to Momoe. His arms were crossed and he looked like he was trying very hard to be angry. “I only came here because I wanted some basic lessons. I’m not interested in tournaments or working with this kid or having a teacher as _young_ as you.” 

“Ah--wait Hanai--” Momoe finally stopped staring at Mihashi to take a few steps after Hanai instead. “Don’t go, we can talk about this, negotiate something--” 

“Hey.” The boy next to Mihashi stood up. “She said your name is Hanai?” 

The boy with the shaved head stopped and looked back over his shoulder. “And you’re Abe. What about it?” 

“Well Hanai, would you rethink your decision if I said that I thought I could partner with Mihashi here and beat you and Tajima flat out?” 

Three things happened at once: Hanai snorted loudly, Mihashi let out a wail of protest and tried to crawl away, and Momoe clapped her hands together once and exclaimed, “That sounds like an excellent idea!” 

The last boy, Tajima who also had black hair and dark freckles scattered across the bridge of his nose, jumped up and punched a fist into the air. “Woo, yeah! Practice battle on the first day, I love this school!” 

Hanai’s mouth dropped open and he turned around slowly. “Wait--you’re serious? That’s not fair for me at all, I’m the only one here with no magical education! I’d be an idiot to take you up on that.” 

It was quiet for a moment and Mihashi looked up through a slot in his fingers as he covered his eyes, and he could just see Abe smirking across at Hanai. 

“I think that just makes you sound like you’re scared because you know you’ll lose.” 

Mihashi squawked in protest again, the noise this time falling short under the volume of the noise of protest Hanai made. “Lose to him? I doubt that, even with no education under my belt.” 

“Practice battle!” Tajima yelled again, dashing forward to grab Hanai’s hand and drag him along a couple of very bouncy and excited steps. “Practice battle prep time!” A large fire spirit winked into view behind him for just a moment before disappearing again. Mihashi stared at it in awe because he hadn’t ever seen another summoner his age come close to contracting with something that large and powerful.

“You have five minutes and then we’ll be ready for you!” Abe called after them with a wide smile and a wave. His face turned serious immediately when he turned back to Mihashi. 

“Give me your hand.” 

“H-huh?” 

“Give me--god just--here.” Abe reached out and grabbed Mihashi’s hand with no warning, lacing their fingers together and squeezing so their palms were pressing together as well. 

Mihashi stared at their joined hands and he felt his cheeks starting to warm the longer they stood there without saying anything to each other. 

“Wh-wh-wh-wha--” 

“It sounds like you came from a very traditional school so they might not have taught you this, but physical contact can help a new bond to form more quickly between magic users. We don’t know each other at all so we’ll need every second we can get of this.” Abe shook their hands to punctuate the sentence. “Now tell me about what contracts you have so I know what I’m working with.” 

“W-well uh…” Mihashi pulled his eyes away from their hands and instead focused on a smudge of dirt that was on the collar of Abe’s shirt. “I have m-mostly earth and a few wood. Uh-uh, maybe a water spirit or two. I th-think there’s a fire spirit who might still be willing to honor our contract a-and oh! I met a wind spirit the other day who might answer me if I ask nicely…” He trailed off when Abe leaned down to meet his eyes, and swallowed heavily when Abe kept staring. 

“That many, huh?” The other boy asked, suddenly grinning. 

Mihashi swallowed again. “B-but none of them are very big or powerful, a-and only the more peaceful ones really like me…” 

Abe snorted. “That’s not important. And didn’t you know that sometimes the best offense is a good defense? We’re going to kick their butts, don’t worry.” 

Mihashi nodded slowly, not believing a word that Abe was saying but making the motions as if he was agreeing. Abe slowly flexed his fingers against Mihashi’s and Mihashi realized suddenly that he was clutching the other boy’s hand quite hard. 

Abe glanced to the side suddenly, at where Tajima and Hanai were huddled together. “Just so you know, Tajima’s definitely the flashy type and I think Hanai is going to get caught up at his pace instead of managing him like a good mage should. You saw Tajima’s fire spirit just now, right?” 

Mihashi nodded slowly, swallowing against the sudden lump in his throat just at the memory. 

“That’s the only spirit I’ve seen from him. He’s all about big and flashy and powerful but I don’t think he has much control. It’s going to be easy for us to take them down, just leave everything to me and call the spirits when I tell you to.” 

“O-okay…” 

“Time is up! Are both teams ready?” 

Abe stood and pulled Mihashi up with him, gently guiding the other boy a few steps forward to a slight mound of dirt with the beginnings of an intricate ash circle curving around it. 

“We’re ready Momoe-san.” 

Abe turned back to Mihashi after Momoe nodded at them. “Sakaeguchi--ah, he’s the one they hired to help out with maintenance around here--he and I have been working on these practice circles. I hope it’s to your liking.” 

Mihashi looked down at it, eyes tracing over the simple black lines of the unfinished design. “Ah-ah. Y-yeah. Ash is...good for me.” 

Abe nodded and then moved to position himself between Mihashi and the Tajima-Hanai team. Across from them, Tajima had made an unusual move and put himself in front of Hanai, ignoring the circle on the ground. 

Tajima turned around and grinned at Hanai who was looking more nervous as more seconds passed.

Abe shot Mihashi one last grin and then dropped his hand abruptly as Momoe yelled “Go!” 

Tajima burst forward, the huge fire spirit from before appearing behind him in the spot he had just vacated. Tajima grinned as bands of flame started to circle around his hands and feet, yelling “I knew Hanai would get it!” As he careened toward Abe. 

“Mihashi, earth!” Abe yelled in response, and Mihashi jumped and almost fell out of the circle. Despite the horrified fascination that kept his eyes glued on Tajima as he came closer and closer to Abe, he offered out a whisper to the earth spirits he kept a contract with. With a silent prayer, five of them winked into existence between him and Abe. 

Tajima was barely a foot from Abe, arm cocked to strike, when a wall of dirt shot out of the ground between them. Mihashi heard a hollow sounding boom from the other side, and when it crumbled back into the dirt floor a moment later it revealed Tajima coated in a layer of brown and looking impressed. The flames around his body still burned as brightly as before. 

“Niiice. But--” Tajima cocked his arm back again and threw his fist forward with only slightly less force than the previous attack. The ground spat out a rock to deflect it, but that was clearly Tajima’s intent as he levelled a kick at Abe that the other boy only barely managed to block with his arms. Tajima flashed a peace sign at him and jumped forward again, “--I’m better.” 

“Mihashi, wood!” Abe called as he jumped to the side, opening a path straight to Mihashi for Tajima to follow. 

Mihashi panicked and his earth spirits all disappeared to be replaced with two of his wood spirits who almost didn’t answer his desperate call. 

Abe nodded, and as Tajima was clearly preparing an attack he very obviously expected would allow him to win the match, he instead went to leap forward and fell flat on his face. 

Mihashi fell to the ground in relief as he watched a root start to loop around Tajima’s ankle. It wouldn’t last long with the fire still burning there, but it gave Abe time to move back between him and Mihashi. 

“Hey, can you call back a few of those earth spirits?” 

“Y-yeah…” As soon as the first of the spirits popped its head out of the earth in response Abe made a hand gesture and the root unwound from Tajima’s leg. He cut his hand through the air the ground gave a slight heave that pushed Tajima backwards until he was sprawled on the ground in front of Hanai again. 

“Hey.” 

“Y-yes!” Mihashi jumped and pulled his eyes away from watching Tajima pick himself up off the ground. 

“Can you call your water spirit too?” 

Mihashi’s eyes darted back to Tajima for a moment, then several times between him and Abe. “N-n-n--” He tried to say no but Abe’s expression clearly said he would know if Mihashi lied to him. “...yes. But it’s nowhere near as strong at Tajima’s spirit…” 

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan, just trust me.” 

There was something in the way Abe said those last two words that made the eternally present knot in Mihashi’s stomach loosen ever so slightly, and with a quick nod he sent out a plea and watched a small spot of water in the air coalesce into the water sprite he had met the other day. 

Abe grinned, and for the first time during the whole match he made the first move. The dirt next to Tajima burst into the air. Tajima jumped gracefully away from it, twirling just as effortlessly around a root spire that grew into his path a moment later. 

“I’m used to all your moves now, they won’t work on me again~” he sang. A moment later he went to twirl around another root spire that shot up in his path--right into a sudden waterfall that quite thoroughly drenched him and finally put out the flames around his body. 

“What the--shit!” Hanai yelled a moment later, pulling Mihashi’s attention away from Tajima only to see the second boy was drenched as well. 

“Aaaaand I think that’s the match. Winner is the Mihashi-Abe team!” 

Mihashi blinked several times and looked over at Momoe, who he had honestly forgotten was watching all of them. She had her hands clasped together in front of her body tightly enough that her knuckles were turning white, and she was looking at all of them with shining eyes. 

Mihashi quickly thanked and dismissed all the spirits who had come to help him before she decided to do something drastic again. 

“Perfect! You’re all exactly what we wanted! Oh, I wish Shiga was here to have seen that…” 

“Hey!” Mihashi jumped as his brain registered that Tajima was right in his face. Mihashi jumped back, tripping over his feet and falling out of the circle and onto his butt.

“Oh, sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you!” A hand was shoved into his face instead and Mihashi took it gingerly, allowing Tajima to pull him back to his feet. “I just wanted to say that you were really cool! I haven’t seen anyone except teachers call that many spirits at once before! And different types too, it. Was. Awesome!” 

“Uh--uh--uh--” Mihashi felt himself going red as Tajima continued to spit compliment after compliment about his summoning ability at him. 

“You weren’t so bad yourself,” Abe interrupted right before Mihashi was about to have a breakdown because somebody was being _too_ nice to him. “Most summoners don’t want to take the attacking role.” 

“Yeah well.” Tajima shrugged and turned around to look at Hanai, who had his arms wrapped around himself as he trudged toward them, his shoes making a wet squelching noise with every step. “Hanai’s not experienced enough to do both yet. And besides, attacking is _way_ more fun than defense!” 

“You say after I beat you with a defensive strategy.” 

“Which was way cool too!” 

“Boys!” Momoe was suddenly next to them, wrapping her arms around all four of them and shoving them even closer as she hugged them. Mihashi’s face bumped against Tajima’s briefly and he could feel the wet knee of Hanai’s jeans pressing into his own. “Tell me what days of the week and what time you want to have practices, we need to start as soon as possible--and what schools are all of you going to anyway? We might be able to get some funding from them and form a club if they don’t have one already. And there’s paperwork too--hold on, I’m going to call Shiga, don’t move!” 

“So Hanai,” Abe elbowed the other boy in the side, receiving a glare in response. “Still planning on quitting?” 

“The only thing I’m planning on doing right now is going home and changing out of these clothes, ugh. But…” Hanai’s eyes scanned over all three of them slowly. “It was sort of fun today, so I might stick around.” 


End file.
